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Saturday, February 20, 2010

Karnataka: Women Unsafe

It’s tough times for women in Karnataka — they’re increasingly falling prey to all kinds of atrocities. Last year was the worst over a five-year period, and husbands or their relatives were the perpetrators in most cases. In 2009, there were 8,839 cases, up by 1,141 from 7,698 cases in 2008. Gang rape, molestation, abduction and murder for dowry were just a few of the crimes listed by the State Crime Records Bureau (SCRB).

Curiously enough, some crimes which faded away have started showing up: two cases under importing of girls (forcing minors for domestic or factory work), one under Indecent Representation of Women Prohibition Act 1986 and five cases under kidnapping and abduction of women for prostitution. Shockingly, there’s a significant rise in rape cases — up to 486, of which six are of gang rape. As many as 2,186 women were molested last year. The highest number of crimes have been committed by the husband or his relatives — in 2009, there were 3,185 such cases.

Even kidnapping and abduction of women is increasing — from 253 cases in 2004 to 445 last year. Of these, five are related to prostitution.

Other crimes against women are abetment to suicide and murder for dowry. Especially, murder or death due to dowry harassment is increasing with more than 200 cases recorded every year. There has, however, been a reduction in the number of trafficking cases. While in 2004, there were 1,170 cases, in 2009 the number came down to 329.

3 comments:

These sort of crimes against women happen everywhere, and I find it hard to get my head around. Seems to me that a friendly group of guys with baseball bats would find a lot to do in these places.Le Loup.

Totally agree. Here a comminity organisation wanted to put up a poster giving the statistics of crime against women, and the local council banned it. They turn a blind eye, they don't want to believe that this goes on in their own city!This is in Armidale NSW Australia for goodness sakes, not some third world country! If it can happen here it can happen anywhere.Le Loup.